"One Night"
Chapter 10
 

Disclaimer: We'd all be dreaming if I owned Dark Angel. Sure I have a very creative imagination but if Fox Studios paid me for a television series, I don't think it would even come close to the hot DA series. So you get the gist, I don't own any of these characters, etc… I just like toying with them in my head. You get to read the results.
Summary: Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.
Spoilers/Timeframe: Occurs after "Designate This".
Rating: R
A/N: You know that this is getting really corny but I love that type of stuff. So you'll just have to make up your own fanfics if you don't like mine. Montana is a city in Alaska. I don't know if it was a sign or not but I had a hell of time trying to post Chapter 9. I took me an hour to get it posted and then my connection kept dropping out, tell me this is all worth it? Sorry this chapter took me a little longer than usual. This is my last week of holidays before I go back to work and I had heaps to do. I hope that it was worth your wait. Tell me what you think, it will probably determine whether I finish this story or just drop it. Trust me, just one review will make a difference.

*****

Where am I? This doesn't feel right, I can't move. What is this? His whole body was strapped to the bed. Argh… His chest and back killed. He couldn't feel anything below his waist and why couldn't he move his head? What in the hell happened. I'm supposed to be addressing the board any minute. I had her…didn't I?

Joseph Croan laid still and stared up at the ceiling, the plain concrete ceiling with hanging fluorescent lights. This place didn't even look remotely familiar. Closing his eyes, he struggled to remember the past events. Anything leading up to the present, trying hard to recall just how he'd ended up in half vegetative state.

"So you're awake. You'd have to be the luckiest man alive." Her words dripped acid. As she approached him, Maria held back from pulling the pins that supported his head. Just one pin, that's all it would take. No one would know it was her and by morning he would be beyond saving. She still remembered dropping Sally home only a few hours before. As she drove through the trees, the oddest feelings had shaken her. She hated driving so late at night but both Sally and herself had worked back late. They were compiling all Sally's documents to present to the board. Dr. Sally Wright had developed a device that could reverse nerve and tissue damage. Something never created or tried. Within hours, the patient's past injuries would be healed. She had now seen it for herself. That knowledge made Maria shiver involuntarily.

"We need medical attention!"

Two uniformed soldiers burst into the laboratory. It was only a couple hours past midnight and even though Naturalest Laboratories was never closed, there was only one doctor in the entire complex. Security had paged Dr. Maria Santos the minute the men had burst through the front gates. When she had only hesitated to step forward, one of the men had raised a gun to her head and told her if she didn't save them all, she'd be dead.

"Help me wheel them into Lab 3. I'll do what I can." Maria reluctantly helped put one of the men onto a trolley and wheeled him to the lab. "Tell me what happened." There were two injured. The other three seemed okay, two had some cuts and bruises about the face but they were standing all the same. The man on the trolley was motionless and his head sat at an odd angle. "Are you going to at least tell me what happened to him?" She gestured at Croan.

"His neck is broken," the man said it a matter-of-factly. The technician and the others keep walking.

Maria had stopped when she heard 'broken', was it just her or did everyone think that this man was still alive. "Well sorry to say boys but he's going in as KIA." The aggressive one re-aimed his gun at her head.

"We didn't come here for nothing sweet. We know that you can save him. Dr. Sally Wright or should I say Dr. Eva Tate worked here, didn't she?" he said that with a cocky smile and wicked undertones. "We know what she created. Thing is are you willing to use it?" He rechecked his clip and whacked it back in with satisfaction. Retraining the gun at her he asked, "What's it gonna be?"

"We have work to do."

Three hours later, both men where stable and Maria had witnessed a miracle first hand. She had used Sally's device to save him. She had seen it at work on tape but now she had used it first hand. Security informed her that all of these men, particularly the one she had saved, had been to the lab the previous day. Looking for Sally. What did they want with Sally? That same sick feeling plagued her. She didn't like the fact that these men where injured and rough. Had anything happened to Sally? Still feeling unsettled she went to her office and dialed Sally's home number.

"Come on, pick up. Please be there, Sally." Maria bit her lip and tapped a pen nervously on the desk. She slammed the telephone back down. No one there, just the machine. Where are you, Sally?

******
Max paced the lounge, if someone didn't come out of that operating room soon. She'd wear a hole in the floor.

"Max, please sit down," Logan pleaded. He hated seeing her so nervous, but in truth there was nothing he could say to comfort her. Anything he said would sound false, even to his own ears. Zack was donating blood, just as Max had done half an hour before. When they'd arrived Eva had been rushed to the operating room. Logan had called his contact and informed him that he would be bringing in an Eyes Only informant. One that was in dire need of medical attention. As they waited Logan retraced the events of the past few hours.

He and Max had jumped on the next available flight to Anchorage and then driven a van to Eva's house in Montana. Upon arrival, they had found out what they already feared. They had been too late. Max had made it to the hospital in record time, the whole time Logan had been praying. More than once the van had threatened to veer off the road but somehow Max had kept it under her control. They arrived at Palmer County Hospital in less than twenty minutes, a miracle. And all in one piece too.

"Max…"

"What if she dies, Logan, what then?" Max had stopped pacing and was cramped in a tight bundle on the floor. Tears were coursing down her face. "I don't want to lose her again." She buried her head in her knees.

Logan slid off his chair and slowly made his way over to her. Every minute he was feeling stronger and even now, as he leaned on his cane he could feel the hard tile floor beneath his feet. "We did what we could, Max, she's a tough girl. A fighter just like you." As he made a move to pull her into his arms, he caught sight of Zack headed their way.

"Hey, don't let me stop you."

His voice held such bitterness and hopelessness, that it pull Max out of her trance. "Zack?" Through teary eyes Max looked at her brother. His clothes were disheveled and there were patches of dried blood on his jacket. His eyes were red rimmed, from crying or from lack of sleep, Max was sure he wouldn't say. Zack dropped into the nearest chair and ran a shaky hand through his thick blonde hair.

"It was only a matter of time," he ground out. His icy blue eyes watered but he wouldn't cry. Soldiers don't cry. It was stupid to think you were safe. The biggest mistake you could make was let your guard down. Well obviously, Eva had let it down in a big way. "Did you know that she was pregnant?"

Both Max and Logan sat dumbfounded. Logan was sure that his jaw hit the ground, had he heard correctly. Where in blazes did Zack get that idea? He had seen Eva less than three days ago and there had been nothing to imply that she was pregnant.

Max looked from Zack to Logan and back again. It was obvious that Logan had no idea what was going on.

"How long do you think she is?" Max asked with a whispered voice.

Zack shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he avoided Max's moist brown eyes and stared at the wall in front of them. "I don't know, she not huge or anything." All of a sudden, he launched out of his seat and started pacing. His abrupt movement startled Logan but it just made Max even more nervous. "We have to get rid of it."

"What!" Max jumped off the floor with that remark. She grabbed Zack by his jacket and shook him hard. "First, it's not your decision to make. Second, where do you get off saying something like that. Really Zack, I though you had a heart." She shoved him away. "You even hint something like that to Eva and I swear I'll kick your ass so hard, that you won't feel that you have one anymore." Whirling from him, she dropped back down next to Logan.

They all jumped at the sound of doors flapping. Footsteps echoed down the corridor toward them and they all stood nervously awaiting news on Eva's condition.

As Dr, Andrew Collins approached to anxious group, he flustered around his brain for the best way to break the news. He was never any good at being positive. Neither were his people skills. Please help me not to stuff this up. Eyes Only had helped clear his name when he'd been sued for malpractice. Eyes Only had exposed the torrid scam and even though he kept his practicing license, people just didn't treat him the same. He would have lost everything but he didn't, he owed a lot to Eyes Only and if this woman was important, well he would do all he could to make sure she survived.

"Logan, I can tell you that the operation went smoothly, no hiccups or traumas. Although we had to do an emergency C-section, when she went into early labour, it's not uncommon. Multiple births rarely go full term. She's one tough girl, extremely lucky too. The bullet entered through the 3rd and 4th rib on her left side, missed her heart by an inch. She'll be in recovery for the next hour or so, then they'll move her to ICU. You can go and see her then." He was about to walk away when Logan stopped him.

"Thank you, Dr. Collins. For working on her."

"Tell Eyes Only, it's the least I could do."

Logan held out his hand and shook the doctor's hand in gratitude. "What about the baby?"

"You can see them in Neonatal Unit, don't be surprised at their size they're about a month premature…" Beep, Beep, Beep. Dr Collins checked his pager. "Sorry, guys, duty calls. I will check in with you in about an hour. Logan." With a reassuring slap on the Logan's shoulder, he turned and headed down toward reception.

Max shook her head, as if trying to clear out the clutter. "Did he say, they?" She spoke those words aloud to no one in particular. She was still amazed that Eva was even pregnant. Who would have thought? Starting down the hall, she paused and turned around. "Hey, am I the only one that's a concerned party here? Move it!" Logan snapped to attention and hurried to catch up with her. Zack was more reluctant and made a point of dragging his feet.

"Max, I'm warning you. Don't give Eva any ideas. You know it's hard enough trying to hide on your own, it'll be impossible with several to watch out for." Max rolled her eyes heavenward and said nothing. God help us all. She silently pleaded for Zack to keep his mouth shut, at least until Eva was well.

They rounded the corner that lead to the Neonatal Unit. A huge glass wall was off to the left, Max apprehensively went straight for it scanning the room through the glass for Eva's babies.

"The name?" The nurse on the other side of the wall asked.

"Ah…Sally Wright." Logan leaned his free hand on the cool windowpane. Get a grip, Cale. Dr. Collins will handle all the paperwork. Everything's cool. Just as soon as she's good to go, we'll be outta here.

The nurse went deep into the room, lights were dim so everything inside was just a jumble of medical equipment and tiny cribs. Pushing forward two humidity cribs the nurse turned up the overhead lights so the company on the other side of the glass could see.

Max gasped when she saw the two tiny babies. Both had oxygen tubing taped to their noses and they weren't any larger than two of her hand spans. "Logan, they're so small." She gripped the arm of his leather jacket and squeezed it in her tightly clenched fist. Her eyes were glued to the little ones that would be her niece and nephew.

Zack stayed silent. The second he laid eyes on the kids he knew they were his. In his heart, he'd been denying the truth. He had known all along. One look at Eva's stomach and he'd known their one night together had resulted in much more than just a small declaration of love. He turned away from the window; he couldn't look at their tiny faces a minute more. Not with the thoughts that where going through his head. He might feel a little guilty now but it was for the best. For the safety of everyone, he just had to figure out a way to tell Eva.

Logan stared at the babies; besides being tiny they carried the trademarks of their parents. You would have to be stupid, deaf and blind not to know who the father was. The girl had a short tumble of blonde curls and Eva's bow shaped lips whereas the boy had straight jet-black hair and Zack's unmistakable chin. A pathetic little cry arose from the boy and his body began to tremble with the wails. His sister, who had been asleep, chimed in soon after. Logan turned to glance over at Zack, who looked unusually unsettled. Logan smirked to himself. I'd like to see you get out of this one. A sharp jab from Max brought him toppling off his high horse.

"Logan, something's wrong!"

When Logan turned back to the window the baby boy had turned pale shade of blue and even though he was crying it seemed that his body was getting no oxygen. "What's that?" Max pointed to a purplish rash that had begun on the baby's chest, patches slowly spread to his neck and kept spreading across his body. Max started banging on the window. "Nurse, doctor, somebody help." She continued slamming the glass.

A nurse came running to see what the racket was all about. "What's the matter…oh lord." She picked up the phone off the wall and dialed. "Doctor, emergency in the Neonatal Unit." Dropping the phone back in its cradle, she rushed to the side of the baby's crib. Pulling on gloves, she pushed her arms through the side portals and adjusted the tubing near the baby's nose. The boy was still wailing but no sound was coming out. The nurse checked the baby's airways, all clear. She nervously shifted her weight and prayed the doctor would hurry. Gently massaging the baby's chest she hoped to draw air into those lungs. It was all in vain. The little boy seized for all of three seconds and then stopped moving all together. Maggie didn't give up, she still drew gentle outward circles over the baby's chest.

Dr. Andrew Collins burst through the door and came to stand by Maggie. "What happened?" Maggie withdrew her arms from the crib and backed away a few steps. Never in her five years in this unit had she very experienced something so terrible. These fraternal twins seemed to tug at her heart. From the minute they were born, she felt there was something extra special about them. Now one of them was dead.

"Maggie?" Even as he asked, Andrew put his hand inside the crib to take the baby's pulse. He was dead. Andrew took his hand away. "Calling it, time of death 03:46 hours." He shook his head slowly. They hadn't had any reason to be concerned about the babies. Besides being premature, they were perfectly healthy. Only an autopsy would show what caused the baby's early death. Infant mortality was always high for premature babies but judging from the angry marks of the baby's chest, Dr Collins was sure that this infant's death had nothing to do with that.

Tears were streaking down Max's face. She couldn't stop them. It was taking all of her being not to break out sobbing. Never in her life had she ever seen a baby die. The first she had witnessed was her very own nephew. The tiniest most beautiful baby boy she'd ever seen. Dr. Collins didn't have to confirm anything for her, she knew the very second that his heart stopped, it was the same second that his baby sister had stopped crying. It was almost as if she knew, there was nothing more anyone could do, her brother was gone. The only evidence that remained of her trauma was little tremors that were still assaulting her body.

Logan pulled Max close and let her bury her head in his chest. Zack just stood there looking stunned. They were all shaken up. Who was going to tell Eva? Did she even know that she had delivered two angels? Max didn't even want to think about that. She rested her chin on Logan's chest and glazed up at him through wet lashes. "What are we gonna do?" she asked even though she knew he could not possibly have the answer. Turning her head, she looked past Logan's shoulder. Zack was gone.